A Servant's Prince
by jennybookworm
Summary: Merlin struggles to find Arthur in this new world, so he turns to writing all of his adventures that he had with Arthur down in a book. When he finally gets a publishing offer - from Albion Publishers no less - Merlin could finally get the happy ending he wanted. But nothing is ever that simple, is it? Merthur, Reincarnation fic.
1. Prologue

**A Servant's Prince**

**_Caution: Suicidal references, angst._**

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**_Prologue_**

_The world had lost its entire colour, the whites blended into the greys which fell into the darkest black. Everything was shaded, everything was darker. The only brightness came from the island. The light would blind the warlock at times. He would glance at it occasionally, letting his eyes stray from the potential dangers and turning his longing gaze to the one place that he was barred from. The bars almost took on a physical presence; he hated the distance so much that he had to convince himself that they were truly there._

_It taken a few hundred years before he had finally accepted his immortality, there had been a few rough periods where he had turned to less than healthy methods of getting through the days. There had also been some serious suicide attempts during the darkest times. When there was no one left. When he had heard of Gaius' death, Leon's death, Gwen's death. Hunith's death. The feelings that followed each of the announcements had shocked the warlock. It wasn't that he was thrust back into the depths of depression. It was the fact that they didn't seem to affect the man like they should have. Shouldn't he have grieved for his friends? Shouldn't he have shed a tear for the father figure he had found in Gaius? Shouldn't he have been devastated by his own mother's death? But the warlock hadn't felt any emotions further than acceptance. He had been resigned to the fact that he would spend his days alone. The magic that had bound him to Avalon had taken away the human side of the warlock, deeming it too much of a risk to leave the man with his emotions. The island himself had taken on the warlock's temperament. It rained when he should have cried, it rumbled with thunder and earthquakes when anger should have appeared, it shined with brilliant sunshine when a happy memory struck in the warlock's consciousness._

_The warlock's appearance changed throughout the years depending on the island's whims. During the 1500's he was young and fresh-faced, during the 1800's he was middle aged complete with an itchy moustache. At the present time he was back to aged, with straggly white hair and beard. He had never returned to an age before the time when he met the Crown Prince of Camelot. It seemed as though Avalon didn't want him to return to a time before he had bent to the prophecies will. _

_His eyes were heavy, and if one of the locals happened to spot him strolling around the lake, they would say that it seemed the weight of the world was pressing on his shoulders and he seemed only inches from tears. His feet and legs would walk with the purpose of a young man, but there was one section of the lake that he would always trip on. He would stumble over the exact same section. He would clutch at his heart as though someone had plunged a dagger straight through it. The place obviously held terrible memories. Of loss, and love. It was as if murder had been committed there. The local's didn't know how close to the truth they were._

_The local's called him Y Gard Y Llyn Gyfrinach. The Guard of the Secret Lake. He was legend itself. He lived in the hearts and minds of the people around him. He lived in their stories._

_He lived for their stories._


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Not a new chapter, sorry guys. I noticed a mistake and had to correct it, as this is unbeta'd technically. Sorry!**

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**_Chapter 1_**

Merlin was completely disorientated. He couldn't remember the last time he had been allowed to sleep. The island hadn't let him, he had had to be on his guard at all times and he didn't begrudge Arthur that, but it had steadily worn him down. He felt as if he had been asleep for the past few millennia, his muscles felt tense and underused, his head felt fuzzy and incoherent, and he smelt musty. He blinked the last remnants of sleep from his eyes and closed them again. Making sure that he was going to be prepared for whatever would be inevitably lying in wait for him. He gathered his magic; he felt it pulsating through his veins, straining to be released.

His eyes flicked open.

Merlin was more than a little surprised to see that he was still by the lake, under one of the oldest oak trees. He sat up slowly; still unsure of what he was doing there and how he had managed to turn up under the tree. Out of the corner of his eye the warlock could see the sunlight glinting off of the surface of the lake. He felt his magic snake out; the thin golden tendrils searched the immediate danger for any threats that could be posed. While the magic was doing its work, Merlin began to sort through his memories, seeking any clues as to what happened. His mind drew a blank. There was nothing out of the ordinary in his last memory, just the usual of walking around the lake. Protecting the man who stayed there. Merlin couldn't recall any possible places for a bandit to have been hiding or any curious locals that day. That left him with only one explanation.

He was back.

The realisation hit the warlock like a ton of bricks. His magic threatened to break him in half with the sudden longing that appeared. Tears sprung to his eyes as he realised that he wouldn't be alone for much longer. He could have his friend back. He could laugh, cry, scream, and joke with the man himself. The tears streamed down his cheeks, unstoppable. The first time that he could cry in well over a millennia and Merlin couldn't think of a better reason to do so.

King Arthur had returned.

The warlock jumped up from where he was sat, unable to keep still any longer. His long, gangly legs pushed him towards the lake with new vigour. He hadn't felt so alive. His strides grew longer and longer as he raced to the water's edge.

The sunlight bouncing off the small waves momentarily blinded him, before he opened his mouth to scream, "Arthur! Arthur! ARTHUR!"

When no immediate response came Merlin decided to wade into the water, going in as far as he could without needing to swim. He cried his king's name over and over until his throat became hoarse. When the warlock could shout no longer he attempted to swim to the island, his arms washing the water over his head and into his mouth, his legs kicking out behind him in a desperate attempt to propel himself forward.

His arms grew heavy and tired. Merlin brought his head up to look at the island. It was still as far away as it was when he began swimming. He groaned. "He's not there, is he?" The warlock asked aloud, he didn't expect an answer so he just turned wearily and waded back to the bank.

Merlin heaved himself out of the water, making the whooshing noise when the lake released its water from his clothing. He crawled up on the grass and lay there for just a moment before beginning to dry his clothes off. "_Gwres a sych." _His eyes flashed gold as his magic bent to his will. Within seconds he was completely dry and warm. The warlock stood and looked at the lake, catching sight of his reflection in the water. He gasped; his appearance was so different to how it had been before, with the scraggly beard, white hair and wrinkles. He was back to the fresh-faced teen, skin bright with youth. He hadn't had the chance to look at himself before – Arthur was too much of a priority but now Merlin just stood and gazed at the mirror-image of his face. His cupid bow lips split into a wide grin and winked at his reflection.

He lifted a hand and ran it over his jaw line and round to the back of his neck. His next step confused him, considering that he had never been told what to do after Arthur rose again. He supposed it was just going to have to be left up to fate, destiny, or whatever it was that people called it these days. The sudden loss of purpose made Merlin feel empty inside. He had been protecting Arthur for so long he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with his life now that he had finished the job. His shoulders slumped and the warlock stared at his hands, his fingers twisting around each other.

Suddenly a great idea struck Merlin. Magic. He could use his magic to get a feel for where Arthur would be, it had always been drawn to him, and he could find him that way.

The warlock pulled at the magic inside of him, drew it out of his soul, until it became a tangible entity. The warmth it brought spread through Merlin's veins, burning a fire filled trail to his extremities. His head rolled back exposing his neck to the sky. _"Dod o hyd i mi y brenin." _His eyes flashed gold as the magic rushed to do his bidding. It wasn't until the great force of his power left his body that Merlin realised how much he had had to conjure for the spell to work. His muscles had turned to jelly and he was wobbling precariously on his feet. His head was spinning and Merlin felt the unfamiliar rush of nausea bubble up in his stomach.

Just as the boy was about to collapse, something caught him. Merlin opened his eyes, he wasn't even aware that they'd closed, and searched for his saviour. He grinned when he saw that it wasn't a person behind him, rather, it was a band of brilliant gold light. It shimmered in the sunlight as it pressed into his back. The end of the band split into tendrils and the longest began to wrap itself around the warlock's waist. It felt like Merlin was being pulled into a hug with his mother, caring, nurturing, and loving. The tendrils snaked further up Merlin's chest spreading the golden light over his torso. They dipped in every hollow, bounced over each rib, skated over his sternum before returning to hover over his heart. The warlock's whispered assent to the intrusion was all that the magic was waiting for, it dove through his chest and entered his heart.

Merlin sighed as the magic washed through him. He was home.

With a slight smile on his face Merlin turned on his heels and began to walk.

**_-o-O-o-_**

Sometimes Merlin's magic really irritated him.

When he had come up with the brilliant idea to use his magic as an easier route to find Arthur, he expected it to lead him right to his doorstep, and then it would all be over. Simple. As. That.

But no, let's not make it easy for the man who had been watching over the Once and Future King for the past millennia. Let's not make it simple for him because he might want a break now and again. Let's just keep challenging the bloke, just so we can watch him get more and more frustrated, simply because it's funny.

Merlin was stood in front of a computer.

A computer! Not Arthur, not a signpost that would lead him to Arthur, absolutely no Arthur-related clues at all.

Luckily for Merlin, the island had seen fit to keep him aware of all human developments whilst he was protecting Arthur. He supposed that it was in their best interests to allow him the knowledge of modern technology. He remembered the Industrial Revolution, the electricity invention, the Space Race. He was fully versed in all things technological, but that didn't mean that he understood the meaning of this farce.

The laptop in question was sat on display in one of the 'indie' technology shops that were a couple of streets away from the main high street, Sparks was doing quite well for itself, if the plethora of gadgets was anything to go by. It was red, with white keys and it came complete with Windows 7 and a three month guarantee.

"Can I help you?"

Merlin whirled around and came face to face Gaius. The warlock felt his eyes widen comically and his jaw dropped. So he was on the right track. His magic hadn't failed him. Thank goodness! Suddenly aware of the gentleman in front of him, Merlin refocused on Gaius's words.

"... So this one really is top of the range, great with writing and internet surfing. It has one of the highest customer reviews, though they're not always to be believed. Personally I think that the companies force their employees to review the product." Merlin smirked, so people weren't going to be exactly the same, he hadn't known Gaius to ever ramble – apart from when he was attempting to lie. It was oddly comforting to know that things would be different. It meant that Merlin's fate could change and he wouldn't have to watch Arthur die again. Arthur! Stay on topic.

"Yes, well is there a payment plan? I haven't got the money to pay for it all at once." Actually Merlin did, but it was all in a bundle of notes in his backpack. And he didn't think that rolling out the obscene amount of money would be very productive. He listened intently as Gaius discussed the various methods of payment, and they agreed that Merlin would pay monthly sums of £20 with a deposit of £80.

Merlin walked out of Sparks, laptop clutched to his chest. His magic was humming beneath his skin, purring contentedly. Right, now just to find somewhere to live.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow you guys are amazing! So many people followed this story and all the reviews were fantastic! I was so overwhelmed! So as a reward, here is your next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! And anything you wanna say about it, just leave a little review!**

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**_Chapter Two_**

Merlin must have walked for hours. Hours and hours and hours. He was very nearly dead on his feet. The irony didn't escape him, having spent the last millennia walking around the Lake to protect Arthur and now he couldn't even walk more than seven miles without feeling tired. He let out a half-hearted laugh and picked his feet up, plodding onwards. His magic flared again when he passed the sign that marked Camelot, the black printed 'Welcome' standing tall and proud. He shouldered his backpack and pushed further.

The laptop he had purchased from Gaius was getting heavier in his arms. Merlin was so tired. So tired. But the fact that he had something tangible to hold on to – something that would lead him to Arthur – kept Merlin going.

The warlock felt vaguely guilty about the way he had treated Gaius back at Sparks. He had been distant. Not that fawning all over him would have put Merlin in the best light. But still, he had wanted to be able to say that he had met old friends and managed to keep them. Now he supposed that they were acquaintances at best, just a random customer at worst. In truth he had been overwhelmed by the magic, the pulsating mess that strained to be released when he got near to the computer he was holding. It had taken a lot out of Merlin, even if he didn't realise what a struggle it had been at the time.

Merlin sighed. He would probably find a reason to go back to Sparks at some point. But for now, finding somewhere to live would be nice.

Suddenly a warm body crashed into him, nearly making the warlock drop his lifeline. He stabilised himself with magic swiftly, and then looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Luckily the only person in sight was the woman who had walked into him and she was still quite disorientated. He was safe.

Merlin offered a hand to the lady, steadying her. "Are you okay?"

She giggled a soft sound that made Merlin feel very comfortable with her. "I should be asking you that, surely. But I'm fine, thank you. I'm so sorry I didn't see you there. Off in my own little world." She babbled.

"Must have been nice, you did seem quite out of it." He grinned at the woman and stuck out his hand, "I'm Merlin."

"Gwen." She took his head, not noticing that Merlin's hand had suddenly gone limp. Of course it was Gwen, how had he not realised? Merlin supposed that she did look different, slightly, but not so much that him not recognising her was excusable. Her soft brown curls hung down around her face, framing her cheeks. The deep brown, soulful eyes were exactly the same. Gwen's lips were similar – though thinner than the last time he had seen her. Her cheeks were fuller, rounder, and full with life and vitality. Definitely different to last time Merlin had laid eyes on her. There was no stress carving lines in her face prematurely, there was no hint of having watched people she loved suffer. It was the pure innocence in her features that made her different. Merlin hadn't seen this face in a long time.

Eventually he regained his senses and shook Gwen's hand. He grinned at her, God it was nice to see someone else. It also put Merlin's mind at rest, the laptop obviously wasn't a mistake and his magic definitely knew what it was doing. While Merlin was busy regaining the trust in his magic, Gwen had been babbling on.

"... I mean, if you don't mind. You're probably busy and I don't want to inconvenience you. It's just that you look a bit lonely... Not that I'm saying that you don't have any friends! I'm sure you do, you're too nice not to have any... And I'll shut up now." Gwen squeezed her lips together in an effort to stop the words pouring from her mouth.

Merlin laughed, it had been too long since he'd chuckled at Gwen's expense. "Coffee? Sure, so long as you don't make me drink it."

Gwen blushed and gestured with her head. "Come on, Merlin, I know the perfect spot."

**_-o-O-o-_**

Merlin wasn't quite sure when he'd agreed to move in, but before he knew it Gwen was pressing a key into his hands and telling him to make himself comfortable.

The flat where Gwen was currently living was in a slightly rough part of town, but the building was apparently not too rough. She was holed up in apartment 2C, and the environment just screamed _GIRL! _The settee was covered with cushions and throw blankets; the coffee table was decorated with flowers and pots of potpourri; there were net curtains over the windows. But despite all of the emasculating items that surrounded Merlin, he relaxed. It was homey and comforting and God knows that it had been too long since he'd had a true home to go to.

He shoved his backpack on the floor and almost fell onto the sofa, still clutching his laptop. All of his joints creaked with the sudden lack of movement but Merlin couldn't think of anything nicer. The mass of cushions nearly swallowed him whole and Merlin was pretty sure that if Gwen hadn't come back from her kitchenette that he would have fallen asleep.

"Tea, Merlin? Can I get you something to eat?" Gwen asked, smiling at her new flatmate.

He shook his head, grinning back at his new friend. Well, technically, old friend. But no one needed to know that yet. Gwen really hadn't changed at all; the tea that he'd shared with her earlier proved that to Merlin. She was still bright and bubbly, determined to do anything for her friends. And she had taken Merlin under her wing once more. They'd talked about where she worked, her friends – they'd found out that they both knew Gaius - and their exploits. They talked about their pasts, both having come from small towns – Merlin had to improvise some of the details from a modern day Ealdor as he hadn't gone home, just continued to follow his magic until he'd turned up here – Gwen babbled for hours about Havant – from down South, but she had followed her dreams to become a painter, and Camelot was the best place for up and coming artists. So she had left her father, a welder, and her brother Elyan, currently in the private security business last she'd heard, and made a new life for herself paying her way through art college by picking up after some rich kids whose parents suddenly decided that they needed a cleaner.

After Merlin had broken through her initial reaction to over-talk and made Gwen feel comfortable they had traded soft words of banter and teasing. In fact, Merlin was quite shocked to find that the innocent facade was just that – a facade. Gwen, as it turned out, was not afraid to throw out the odd sexual innuendo that was thinly veiled so you would only notice what she had actually intended later in the conversation. He spent the majority of their tea break snorting in the middle of her sentences about something Gwen had spouted as the realisation would hit. The cheeky grin that was continually plastered across Gwen's face made Merlin like her all the more.

Though she was quietly funny, Gwen was not easily distracted and when she tried to question Merlin about his past Gwen wouldn't relent, not satisfied with his attempts to move the conversation on to safer topics. Merlin had to work hard to create a past that would be easy to recall and was as close to the truth as possible.

_"Come on, Merlin. I've monopolised the conversation. Tell me more about where you're from. Who have you left behind? Best friends? Family? Really embarrassing exes?" Gwen had asked, raising her eyebrows in a way that was strangely reminiscent of Gaius._

_Merlin had floundered for a few seconds before finally opening his mouth – hey, that eyebrow was ever-so-slightly terrifying. "Well, I'm from Ealdor. In Wales. Umm... It's quite a small town, not a lot really happens and I guess that's what drove me to leave. I used to live with my Mum, Hunith..." Merlin pauses, suddenly overtaken by emotion. Who knew if Hunith had come back? Everybody else seemed to be making an appearance. Oh God, had he become so Arthur obsessed that he couldn't even remember his own mother?! He took a shaky breath, ignored the concerned look that had overcome Gwen's face and continued, "And my best friend Will, he used to doss at mine. He practically lived with us, he was over that often. He's like my brother." Oh God, Will as well. Merlin hung his head. He really was a terrible person. Merlin silently vowed to look the both of them up as soon as humanly possible._

_"So... What are you planning on doing in Camelot?" Gwen interrupted his internal musings with a very good question. Merlin hadn't really thought that far ahead. He'd just blindly followed his magic with the hope that everything would turn out alright in the end. The warlock scratched his head, running long fingers through the thick, tangled strands and shrugged._

_"To be honest, I haven't really thought that far ahead."_

_Gwen had smiled indulgently, put her hand on top of his arm, "Well if you can promise me that you're not a suicidal maniac or like to cook human beings I'm sure that you can stay with me." She took a sip of the cappuccino that she'd ordered and sat back, satisfied with the completely bewildered look on Merlin's face._

_"Are... Are you sure? I mean, you don't know me from Adam. I could be a homicidal maniac and you're just offering me your flat?" He blurted out, amazed at the sheer generosity. Maybe there was some hope for this generation after all._

_But Gwen just pushed a spare set of keys into his hand and showed him the way to her apartment building._

"So Merlin, do you want to come out tonight? Meet some of my friends? We'll be going to The Rising Sun; it's a decent enough pub. And I'm sure we can find you someone who'll make you rise." Gwen winked at Merlin's shocked expression – it was going to be a while before he got used to the filth that occasionally spilled from her mouth. She looked at him expectantly, with such a hope-filled expression Merlin couldn't say no. So he didn't.

The grin that swiftly followed, Merlin decided, was worth it.

**_-o-O-o-_**

Merlin looked around his new room; it was definitely a lot better than his previous one, even if it was slightly unfair to compare them. Gaius certainly didn't have a lot to work with back in his physician's quarters and Merlin was grateful that the old man had given Merlin his own room. But the spare room in Gwen's apartment – now _his _room, as Gwen continually reminded him – had all the modern luxuries.

The warlock almost cried when he sank down onto the bed, feeling the springs give way under his weight rather than straw poking through the cover. The smell of fresh linen wafting through the air, making the entire room feel fresh and homely. Oh yes, he could get used to this, very quickly.

The walls were painted a neutral light green and Gwen had covered them with images of rolling hills and seascapes. The dresser and wardrobe were made of matching oak and were so large that Merlin could practically fit all of his belongings in one drawer. The carpet – a slightly darker shade of grade that reminded Merlin of the forests that once surrounded Camelot – was soft and springy underfoot, almost deep enough to lose his toes in.

Yes, Merlin could definitely get used to this.


End file.
